10 reasons why tablets will overtake laptops in the next year

Why are business users ditching their laptops in favor of a tablet when they hit the road? Tablet convert Jack Wallen highlights several reasons.

The laptop has been around for quite some time, but it will more than likely be replaced as the go-to tool for computing on the move. What will be the successor? The tablet -- obviously. Many doubters think the tablet is nothing more than a gimmick to help boost sales. I was one of those doubters for quite some time. But after using tablets enough, I have come around to seeing just how incredibly helpful that technology is. Here are some reasons why I believe tablets will replace the laptop as the mobile device of choice.

1: Power consumption

There is no question here: The tablet blows away the laptop with regard to power consumption. On average, I can get a full day out of a tablet on a single charge. A laptop? Not even close. And for anyone on the go, losing power is just another obstacle that interferes with work. With a tablet, you don't have that issue. It would be a rare occasion that you would burn through your power before getting access to a means of recharging.

2: Viruses

Android? iPad? Viruses anyone? I think not. Not that it will never happen, but it's a pretty safe bet that tablets will never suffer from the same deluge of viruses that plagues a Windows laptop. Because of this, a tablet can safely work on without concern for viruses and malware. Oh sure, you'll find antivirus software in the Android Market, but they are pretty much pointless. Who in the world wouldn't want to work with a portable device that isn't vulnerable to the masses of viruses and malware out in the wild?

3: Portability

You can lug around a 4- to 12-pound laptop or a sub .5-pound tablet. Which do you want when you're going through airports, taxis, hotels, conferences, meetings, etc.? You're going to choose the tablet every time. But not just because of weight. The ability to work with a tablet in confined spaces totally overshadows the laptop. Need to work in a cab? Tablet. Need to work in the bathroom? Tablet. You simply can't beat the tablet for portability.

4: Cost effectiveness

Out of the starting gate, a really good tablet will cost about the same as a low- to mid-range laptop. So you're getting more for your money at the outset. But now figure in the price of an extra battery and software for the laptop and you can see how quickly the cost will add up. Tablets are fast becoming one of the most cost-effective office tools you will find.

5: Online connection

Pay the extra fee and get your tablet with a 4G connection, and you won't have to worry about finding a Wi-Fi connection to access whatever cloud or service you need. Most models can be purchased with a constant network connection (to the tune of 3G or 4G), which makes the tablet a step ahead of most laptops. Yes, you can purchase aircards for laptops, but that's just another piece of hardware to worry about.

6: Available applications

There are thousands upon thousands of applications now available for tablets. So many in number and variety are these applications, it almost makes going back to a laptop a real pain. And yes, a good portion of those apps are worthless, but not all of them. And a good portion of the solid, useful apps are free! Best of all, those apps can be installed from anywhere without installation media. You have a network connection, you can install software.

7: User friendliness

Tablet interfaces are probably some of the single most user-friendly desktops you will come across. They are simple, elegant, and don't get in the way of work. I fully believe (as do Ubuntu and GNOME) that this is the future of the PC desktop. The applications (for the most part) were also designed with amazing user friendliness in mind. Simple to use, very little clutter to the interface (no Ribbons to get in the way), and singular in purpose (in many cases). So you might have more apps installed than you would on a laptop, but because of the ease of installation/removal, that's not a problem.

8: Bluetooth connectivity

I have become a fond user of the Bluetooth. Headphones, headsets, keyboards, you name it. And tablets make the connection between these devices a breeze. Connecting those same devices to a laptop? Not so easy. Even with a built-in card, the connection process is not nearly as easy as it is when done from a tablet.

9: Efficiency

Getting a laptop and a tablet out of hibernation is like comparing apples and oranges. Tablets are as close to an instant-on tool as we have in the industry. And when on the go, nothing beats instant on. Need to write a note or send off a fast email? You'll be completing that task much more quickly when doing it from a tablet.

10: Social integration

Some might argue that social networking isn't ideal for business use. I would argue that it is. Even when you're on the go, you need to remain in contact with co-workers, family, and friends. Why not do that with the ease of nearly seamless integration? Forget having to use a browser for everything. Instead, grab an Android tablet that can quickly have you Facebooking, Tweeting, and Tumbling. And if you think that's nothing more than a waste of time, remember that small businesses depend upon social networking tools for free marketing.

The tablet era

Tablets are not only here to stay, it will only be a matter of time before they have fully and finally usurped the laptop as the go-to hardware for the mobile business user. After you get past the acclimation period for the keyboard, the tablet is an amazing tool for portable business (or even casual) usage.

Additional resources

About Jack Wallen

Jack Wallen is an award-winning writer for TechRepublic and Linux.com. He’s an avid promoter of open source and the voice of The Android Expert. For more news about Jack Wallen, visit his website getjackd.net.

Full Bio

Jack Wallen is an award-winning writer for TechRepublic and Linux.com. He’s an avid promoter of open source and the voice of The Android Expert. For more news about Jack Wallen, visit his website getjackd.net.

the big difference between laptops, desktops and tablets is the user interface.
tablets are handheld touch devices you can walk and use at the same. the are many advantages to this kind of device which have already been listed in the article.
the biggest trade off is the human computer interface which, in the first instance, is a HUGELY flawed interface to begin with, yes the mouse and keyboard- frankly I'm utterly amazed at how precious these devices have become. I admit that touch screens make this cumbersome interface even worse to begin with, but I am confident the 'problem' - (which is a legacy problem) will be addressed and is being addressed all the time.
Anyone who watches novice users work on a keyboard will know what a painful sight it is, lets not mention repetitive strain injury- the VAST majority of users do not use keyboard shortcuts, even though they have been written onto the applications' mouse button forever. and I'm not talking about 4 key combinations that do 3 things at once- I'm talking about using TAB instead of reaching for the mouse- + p , the shift button- many many many users interact with a keyboard the way the want to and NOT the way they are expected to. Keyboards are not intuitive to use (look down at the keyboard, look up at the screen...over and over- don't believe me ..watch 99% of users) they have been around for over 150 years- we need a new medium. Keyboards, my friends, are crap!

So all you think there's a market to every type of devices just because there are techies. Get a life. End-users are in million and we techies are in thousands. And because the name of a site is Tech Repbulic that doesn't necessarily mean end-users aren't reading it at all. Everyone of you is speaking like you're a techie right from your birth. Well that's not true. Your momma didn't teach you C++. Agree that you're a end-user first and then somehow became so called 'techie' who just shows-off everytime. A true techie tries to cover every aspect, every one even end-user who is no-geek. A humble request, keep your 'geeky' attitude aside. You're not unique or special. There are many who know more than you but not showing up here. Be humble.

It is nice to see such a great debate over the pros and con of laptops and tablets, personally I think at this time tablets are a bit of a gimmick, but I think they have real potential. I am sure that not that many years ago there was a similar debate raging laptops replacing desktops and look where we ended up with that one. Is the future of computing the tablet? Well I think that is a real possibility, well that is unless someone comes up with something even better or manages to sell it to the general public. I think it was Spencer Kelly of the BBC tech program Click that said something like ???Steve jobs is a great salesman he managed to sell people a laptop that doesn???t have a keyboard???. As a tech head the one thing that I really like is this battle (Tablet vs. Laptop), this is very similar to the one being played out in the mobile phone market, HTC, Apple and Samsung (to name a few) have all pushed the tech faster and further in the shortest time period. The laptop vs. tablet battle will hopefully only provide us all with, faster and better kit to work and play with.

The laptop and tablet will eventually become one - that is the law of evolution and technology, as consumers become more sophisticated, savvy and able to more readily access the techies traditional domain! Whilst many of the comments re this article have some foundation of truth, fact, common sense, wishful thinking and dreaming, it is reality that consumers drive the market and trends, not 'techies', whose job it is to respond to consumer demands and MAKE devices work, secure, stable, scalable, supportable, etc. These are not of primary concern to the consumer (note I said primary concern, of course the consumer wants the 'architecture' in place to support their device...). In any case, it WILL happen and resistance will be futile!

Generally agree. This is typed on an Archos 101. Yes it takes a lot longer tapping out the words than using a keyboard. Storage reeks. Ihave to stop holding my right thumb over the search key. Do not, however focus on current technology. All of that will improove, and tablets will become serious contenders. Until then, though, Iwill stick with my Acer Aspiree One netbook.
Who is the snob who said consumers should not read tech sites? Isn'that why you makke these things -- to sell to consumers? Perhaps if tech people thought about the people who would have to use rheir products we wouldn't get things like my truck console that does not open from the front but from the driver's side making it difficult for the passenger to get into the console. Maybe what tech people say about products is usefull to consumers making buying decisions.

Not one of the reasons given seems valid to me because none of the apps I've experimented with is good enough for any serious work I'd want to do. Give me a truly workable method of continuous handwriting on a tablet and a truly workable OCR app that changes it to an exportable text file and that tablet would be the ultimate note taker. I bought an Android tablet for my social worker daughter believing that this could be done. As far as I can see, it's impossible. If you can't write notes on it and the virtual keyboard is too small for any sort of fast input, what is the advantage over the handheld devices some of us began using back in the 80s? I owned two generations of early Psions that it was possible to touchtype on before graduating to a very small Toshiba. Sure, present day tablets are great toys for boys but what serious adult wants to be Peter Pan? Improved ultra portables would have more to offer the business user.

Several things that seem to have been over-looked on this:
power - a laptop (not a netbook) will ALWAYS have more power than a tablet, and as such can run more complicated applications
storage - tablets, especially the Android & iDevices have a limited storage, while laptops can happily have large storage and plug-in USB devices
usability - a laptop will have a keyboard, so you can see the entire screen, while an tablet has to cover 50% of the screen with a keyboard - try word-processing on that small of a space!
app complexity - word processing is nigh on impossible on an Android/iDevice apart from the very basic level, let alone applications like spreadsheets, presentations, etc, ANYTHING that is required for proper buisness work!
tablets are all well and good for browsing and simple apps, but if you want to perform real functionality then you HAVE to step into a laptop... that is until either a MacOS or Windows (not Mobile) tablets arise!!!

The only strength tablets have over laptops is weight and touchscreen. On all other aspects laptops win by a landslide.
Thus I bet that what we will see is lighter laptops with touchscreen and flipable screen. That way you can still use it as a couch potato device and a work device.

One thing about so many computer users. They think everything in the computing world should be the same. Tablets come out, and they make an awesome coffee table browser, so what happens? We immediately try to turn them into something else. We have little keyboard kiosks to put them into, we try to turn them into tiny laptops. And for that - Nah!
I have a desktop computer for power computing, I have a large laptop for medium work, and a netbook for traveling. Come Christmas time, I'll be likely looking at the new iPad that will take up residence in the living room.
None of these devices function very well as any of the others.

since most people will agree why most people will prefer a laptop for a daily task over a tablet is because a tablet cannot do half of what a laptop can do and its quite frustrating trying to type a long doc or editing code over a touch keyboard.
I think Sony was on the right track with there Sony VAIO UX Micro PC I would have love to see one of these with a much nicer keyboard, lose some weight ,increase the screen size and add windows 8 then maybe laptop would had a real rival.

In my discussions with a variety of people, from retired carpenters running their wood carving business to super computer support personnel at universities, I get one continuing theme "tablets wiill not run my everyday critical software" but laptops will!!
I do not see this changing in the near future and certainly not next year.

One massive thing you failed to mention is screen size, most home laptops sold are 16.5" in size & most tablets are around the 10" size, so unless a windows 8 tablet with Dock with a screen size of atlease 14" then I dont see tablets overtaking laptops in 2012, But is a 14" or 15.6" sized tablet with keyboard dock is launched with Windows 8 then I would buy one.
Plus next year the tablet disk drive might go up to 64gb Wow, that much, untill SSD get to 200gb & are cheaper then laptops will still be the first option, & using the cloud for over 50gb is pointless its to slow at the moment.

In the healthcare sector, protecting patient information is job one for IT. It's bad enough trying to limit downloading information to cell phones, but now we've got users working off of their personal tablets, which are unsecured and unencrypted.
It's frightening to think about the amount of protected health information (PHI) on devices that are so easily lost or stolen.
Win 8 needs to not just toss its hat into this ring, but to have and meet the potential to dominate, or there are going to be a number of healthcare companies facing HIPAA and HITECH fines.

Anyone who thinks that the tablet is not positioning itself to overtake the laptop is completely oblivious to current trends.- anyone price a laptop recently?
Firstly a laptop is not a keyboard- I believe this technology could be ported to the tablet market (or wait it already has- so what's you point there?) the technology everyone used to connect, and write on this forum was supplied by vendors who are currently working new operating systems which will be tablet centric. So what do you need your laptop for?- your office desk will have a bluetooth keyboard and monitor, you will connect to cloud based hardware and operating systems if needed- this is where 'legacy' applications will be launched.
get with the paradigm shift people! - those of you who think that tablets and a touch UI with cloud based services will not be the computing model of the future because your fingers are too fat to type on the OSK need your bumps felt

The physical keyboard is way easier to type than a touch type one available on the net.
My fingers fly on the keyboard and on the touch one it is like trying to spell like a child - a letter at a time and many times undesired letter gets touched. I have a touch phone and this is my experience on it. Also the processing capacities are different for laptop and the tablet. If you are in school/college you need a laptop than a tablet. If you are s/w developer, again for work you need laptop rather than tablet. There will be people who will use tablet and be happy with it and there will be people who will go for laptops always. I for the one, will always go for laptops until tablet come to match the processing power, a sliding keyboard along with regular touch type keyboard.

I run an old HP nx6310 laptop. These were released in 2007, it has XP on it, has had 3 RAM upgrades and a couple new hard drives. I have an office suite that I can use for all the various issues that I deal with as a tech. It runs my companies job tracking software, connects me to all of my remote clients via RDP or with a VPN connector and gives me all the usability I need on a day to day basis. With the spare High-capacity battery I am able to do my job function in a capable and efficient manner.
Plain and simply, there is no way that a current version tablet could do half of what I require.

Once a full-function OS becomes the standard, like what Windows 8 promises to do, then, and only then, would I agree with most of your points. But then, what good would a full-function OS be without a tablet that can perform all of the same functions (or almost all) as a laptop PC? So, even the hardware will need to be upgraded.
Then comes this: After you get past the acclimation period for the keyboard. That part of the blog is sheer nonsense.
Nobody will ever get acclimated to a flat, glass keyboard on a tablet. It's not something that will ever happen. That kind of keyboard went out with the Ataris of 35 years ago, except that the Ataris were much easier to work with.
BTW, was this blog meant to be just click-bait? Because, I don't think that anyone could believe what was written in the blog. Not entirely, anyway.

This is a 'techie' site so we should expect technical disussion -
much as we dislike the idea the 'end-user' does matter, no point to providing the hardware/software otherwise.
Techie: tablet is rubbish: under-powered, peculiar o/s, screen-based keyboard is very awkward, system connectivity is poor.
User: startup is very quick; battery life is brilliant; very light; IT won't let me connect to the network; touch-screen keyboards are rubbish.
As more of a user nowadays I think tablets are brilliant - but my main reason for using them was handwriting directly on the screen - the new touch screens have lost the precision of the stylus.
2 different markets, laptop has a proven place; tablets still marginal after 8 years.

The arguements presented to support your conclusions for the most part hold no water. I guess I can't blame you for wanting to see yourself as an "insider" with volumes of "insight" but you are sadly mistaken. Android is a schizophrenic OS. What do I mean by that? Well on one hand it is as you say easy to use. However on the other it is much more difficult than a PC to use. As long as you are simply "browsing" the OS by swiping and tapping you are fine but try and do something other than that and the OS is more like Win 3.1 than anything else. User's are returning Android tablets at a rate of almost 25% due to that issue alone. Typing on a tablet is a disaster and easier to do on a phone than a tablet let alone a notebook. And the bit about 3G or 4G, are you serious? Do they PAY you to do this? Since you seem to have not looked at notebooks in the past few years ALL OEMs have 3G and 4G options. Also cost effectiveness. SURELY you are not saying that a tablet is more efficient than a low end notebook???? I am NOT saying that tablets AREN'T the future but the reasons you give are lame at best. I think you editor needs a refund if this is the best you can come up with. By the way have you tried running 1080p video on a non-iPad tablet using the Tegra 2 chip? nVIDIA says it is no problem but I've yet to see an Android tablet that will do this successfully. Basically I think your article is one of the worst I've seen on TechRepublic in a long time.

While I agree that tablets have certain advantages over notebooks, they will not replace or overwhelm the notebook market in the foreseeable future. The way smart phones enable us to do certain activities (like surfing, downloading apps, etc.) which we would otherwise have to do on notebooks, tablets will create a niche market for themselves, but all three segments will co-exist catering to discerning users of each category. Moreover, most tablets are still as expensive as notebooks, so they don't offer a 'better' alternative to notebooks yet.

If you want to do anything that requires medium-heavy duty computing (even a Word document) I would say that a laptop is better. However we live in an infosumer world. I can imagine using a tablet to check all sorts of info from what's on TV, to news articles, to email, to youtube video's, to agenda's- that a tablet would be great for and a laptop is already a pain.
I think the tablet beats the laptop hands down as a device to access information. However if you want to do any serious info manipulation it's back to the power and flexibility of the laptop.

I think most of it is true but why? I think only 3 potability and 9 user friendliness apply to tablets.
The available applications (6) and viruses (2) issue are related to the OS.
Viruses are not there Jet, they will surely appear when androids remains as popular as it is now.
There is no reason why Low power consumption (1) Cost effectiveness (4) and online
Online connectivity (5) could be realized. The high power consumption is due to the insane high performance of the labtops which nobody needs anyway.
I don't think 8: Bluetooth connectivity and 10: Social integration are true.
Although... Swiping a message on your tablet is much more hot than unfolding the super-computer for every communication.

on the keyboard and mouse.
The fact remains that, a flat surface will NEVER be as simple or as ergonomic as a keyboard. Your mention of a NOVICE user is a very big stretch of an example, and of course, using the worst case scenario is not how usability of tablets or laptops or desktops should be approached.
Most people who reach the workforce, and who reach the age where they understand the alphabet (like in he first grade of elementary school), will know and understand that, a keyboard is a much easier form of entry than a simulated keyboard on a shiny surface.
If you were to be in business, and were charged with the responsibility of trying to sell a simulated keyboard vs a regular keyboard, and you touted the benefits of the flat keyboard as superior to a regular keyboard, you would be laughed out of your own presentation and you might even lose your job. No matter how much you stretch the facts to make them suit your view, the real fact remains that, a regular keyboard, with ergonomically raised and spaces keys, will always be superior to any flat surface keyboard.
When it comes to a mouse, the only reason it won't be suited to a tablet is because it would defeat the current accepted definition of what a table is, which is that, all components are contained in one flat, square, lightweight package. Any keyboard design for a tablet will always seem like an afterthought and a very limited one at that, and any touch gestures will be attempts at replacing what the mouse and keyboard were meant to do in the other computer form factors.

Once the tablet you describe in your silly comments comes about, it will have evolved into a.... wait for it... are you ready?.... a laptop or a netbook.
Adding a keyboard to the tablet, attached or not, defeats the whole form-factor or original design of what a tablet is supposed to be, which is a completely self-contained hardware & software device. Once a keyboard becomes a necessary or optional device and people include it with their tablet, the tablet price will have gone up, and they'll probably end up higher than most laptops or desktops, and in fact, some tablets of today already carry higher prices than many laptops and netbooks. Once the tablet continues evolving and "growing up", to include, more on-board memory and swappable storage, and more hardware features that approximate or rival those of laptops or netbooks, then that's when the tablet will have come full circle to become what they were supposed/expected to replace.
So, we'll end up we started from.

Did you care to do some research before saying that there are no viruses on Android? Android Market and apps are biggest offenders. You don't even know they can manipulate system apps to get control over your system. There was an article on this on TR itself. Google it you'll get all details and Google isn't shy of showing reality of its own OS...LoL...

Cough .. cough ...
Which laptop are you using that have insane high performance that nobody needs? I need it. I often have to connect to my desktop at work office to get more performance than my laptop can provide. There is even not enough performance to do average statistical analysis quick enough (sometimes takes an entire day).
Let me remind you that this is a TechRepublic forum before you start saying that average user does not do resource intensive tasks on laptop. So there goes tablet's mythical advantages of low power consumption and cost effectiveness.
Online connectivity? Again have you ever tried to develop and test content rich web application (or any network-based applications in general) over 3G/4G networks? Well if not, then I will tell you that it is pain in my bottom. Even Wifi is not good enough with its frequent network quality issues (weak signal or packet loss just to begin with). So there goes the advantage of online connectivity.
Next is user friendliness. Again from IT point of view. Tablets achieve user friendliness with great sacrifice to productivity. Complex operations that you can do with few mouse clicks or keyboard shortcuts are gone. So there goes the user friendliness.
I am an IT guy. I have 17inch HP laptop which is huge and bulky. I also have to travel a lot, and, oh boy, I hate carrying it around, but I have to. I dream about the day when someone will invent the device the size of tablet but still provides all the functionality I need. Let's be realistic, what is worse than carrying a heavy laptop around is getting some tablet toy from my boss, who knows nothing about IT, and still be expected to be as productive as I was with my laptop.

you do realise that you are arguing for the continued existence of a horrible interface completely contradicts you earlier waffle on "embedded or integrated or attached to the person, with many different forms of input (voice, hands, eyes, recognition of facial gestures".
also
Your mention of a NOVICE user is a very big stretch of an example, and of course, using the worst case scenario is not how usability of tablets or laptops or desktops should be approached.
em...have you done usability testing? you DESIGN for the novice, my example is a perfectly legitimate One,(what's more- THIS IS ACTUALLY WHAT IS HAPPENING)
anyone who knows the alphabet can work a keyboard? -certainly, and by the same logic they can also play piano - still doesn't make it intuitive does it?
the keyboard is a bad interface- as far as ergonomics go it's actually the devil
-the only reason ergonomics is even mentioned with respect to keyboards is because it's soooo ergonomically unfriendly, you talk about them as if it where a foot spa.
Luckily though I can see the light and know that the keyboard will ultimately vanish into history- soon there will be no typing- how's that for ergonomics!

you're not keeping abreast of current trends, hardware is devolving. and for the last time an input device is simply an input device it's nothing especially associated with any form factor except that you need One.(your preference)
why will a tablet need more swappable storage and on board memory??- Software as a service takes care of that. local processing and memory are a complete non issue.
- sometime in the near future....you...I need a laptop with 2 quadcore processors and 3 terabytes of local storage that runs last years operating systems.... it must have a KEYBOARD or ill cry (keyboards are crazy money these days).....sales guy........that'll be ???3,000...idiot

What is inescapable is that, the keyboard is a standard, and one which the whole world has learned to use, and which they are comfortable with, and one which is going to continue to be the best form of interface for data entry, for generations to come. No other means of data entry has been devised that can compete with the qwerty keyboard (although there were designs in the past for keyboards that didn't use the qwerty layout and which were actually better ergonomically laid out).
This whole sub-thread has been mostly about the productivity capabilities of tablets vs laptops and desktops. The keyboard is the main difference when it comes to the data entry capabilities, and, no matter how much one tries, the tablet flat-screen is not conducive to productivity on a simulated keyboard. That's the only FACT that matters. If you are going to compare "touch", then the tablet, for now, wins, hands down. Other than portability and the touch interface, tablets lose in every other category that one might want to compare against those of desktops and laptops. Hands down. And, like another current survey shows, and which is a topic of discussion in another currently active blog, there are many people who became dissatisfied with their iPads after their initial excitement, and have actually put those things away or sold them or have gone back to their laptops and desktops for most of what they need to do.

Keyboards are archaic Dickensian contraptions which stifle productivity and force the user to interact with devices in constrained postures.
They pose great difficulty in learning, with many people never learning enough to take their eyes off them- further compounding an already constrained relationship.
Keyboards offer no better productivity over a pen for the great majority of users. and a pen is similarly constrained when compared to the voice.
- but perhaps you are thus conditioned to not even notice things as plain as sunny days.
-you seem to think that I am in favour of virtual keyboards over the standard typewriter contraption - ou contraire I have merely highlighted how the original unfriendliness is amplified- the proof is in the pudding so to speak.
originally you took issue because tablets are not as productive as laptops because of the keyboard- my point is simple
the keyboard is crap anyway
did you know the keyboard was designed in it's current QWERTY format to function better mechanically, i.e the keys are in a configuration which aided the mechanics of a typewriter and prevented key arms from sticking- how humans would interact with it was not even an after thought- it's called a human computer interface but was never designed that way.
the longest word you can spell on one row is the word typewriter - the name of the company that designed the thing.
-incredulous.
It's about time shenanigans was called

you do realise that you are arguing for the continued existence of a horrible interface completely contradicts you earlier waffle on "embedded or integrated or attached to the person, with many different forms of input (voice, hands, eyes, recognition of facial gestures".
Nope! Nothing contradictory between the two posts I made.
The comments you quoted above, are not about a flat surface touch screen, which, even if it does continue to be used in the future, will still be very clunky, not ergonomic, and absolutely not even close to the practicality and usability and productivity of the standard keyboard.
Your mention of a NOVICE user is a very big stretch of an example, and of course, using the worst case scenario is not how usability of tablets or laptops or desktops should be approached.
em...have you done usability testing? you DESIGN for the novice, my example is a perfectly legitimate One,(what's more- THIS IS ACTUALLY WHAT IS HAPPENING)
A "novice" is still the worst case scenario, and a novice is not how one designs a tool, because, a novice is expected to eventually learn something other than the most basic of capabilities and simplest of methods. But, though a flat screen is not inherently difficult to learn, they are difficult to use for anything other than touch and tapping and viewing contents. When it comes to the productive entry of content, the flat screen falls far short when compared to a standard keyboard.
anyone who knows the alphabet can work a keyboard? -certainly, and by the same logic they can also play piano - still doesn't make it intuitive does it?
Anybody can play the piano, and anybody can use a flat screen and anybody can learn to use a standard keyboard. The argument is about the usefulness and productivity of the different types of interaction. The standard keyboard is far superior, and anybody that argues any different is actually out of touch with reality.
the keyboard is a bad interface- as far as ergonomics go it's actually the devil
Then, it's you against the world, because, the whole world is more comfortable with the keyboard for data entry than through the clunky flat panel simulated keyboard. Notice that, it's simulated, therefore, not ergonomic at all. Accept it. Get with reality.
-the only reason ergonomics is even mentioned with respect to keyboards is because it's soooo ergonomically unfriendly, you talk about them as if it where a foot spa.
Only a fool would deny that which as clear as a bright and cloudless sunny day It's an interface which has been in use for eons and, while not perfect, it sure beats anything else that has been devised for common everyday use.
Luckily though I can see the light and know that the keyboard will ultimately vanish into history- soon there will be no typing- how's that for ergonomics!
Delusion must be your middle name.
What planet are you on?
Until a computer is improved to the point that it can read minds where humans won't ever need to use their hands and voices ever again, the qwerty keyboard will still be with us.
(So, why is this site not accepting the html italics or bold?)

However sarcastic or tongue-in-cheek you might be with your latest comments, the facts of what I said can't be changed. But, hey, you can continue to pretend that tablets will serve you well and that they're adequate replacements for desktops and laptops. Me, well, I'm a lot more practical and logical.

try to convince others that your ideas and opinions are how the real world operates.
The fact remains that, a tablet is very handicapped without a "real" keyboard (a screen keyboard is a simulated keyboard, but, misses the points about productivity and ergonomics). That will, forever, keep it from becoming a device that can ever replace the real productivity devices, namely, the laptops and desktops, in the business world and even in the personals lives of people. Tablets, so far, are media consumption devices, and, if and when they do become productivity devices, they will have evolved into laptops and netbooks.

I'm perfectly fine with insults, when I get insulted. I'm merely expressing the opinion that - believing that tablets have no future over a laptop because they don't have a keyboard and lack powerful features is idiotic. the arguments about keyboards are completely inane and have no bearing whatsoever is the context of the original argument. - none.
it's a childish argument that flies in the face or reality. If you are well apprised of the currently trends in technology you'd do well to mention them in your rebuttal instead postulating about visions of future technology.
http://www.techrepublic.com/photos/microsoft-predicts-the-future-without-laptops-photos/6325949?tag=nl.e101

although it would be nice to have, but then, it would be nice to have on any form-factor and/or any OS.
The fact still remains that, if a tablet were to need to attach to a separate or attachable keyboard, it would no longer fit the already accepted definition of what a tablet is. When the tablet does grow up to have the other features that a netbook or laptop possess, then it's no longer a tablet.
I know quite well what the current trends are, and eventually, even the form factor known as a tablet will disappear, along with laptops and perhaps even desktops, and everything will have evolved into "personalized computing", either embedded or integrated or attached to the person, with many different forms of input (voice, hands, eyes, recognition of facial gestures, external stimuli in the environment, monitoring of medical devices on the body, etc), and many different forms of output (visual, audio, never stimulation on the skin, external control of devices, like doors, windows, TV, Radio, other computers, adjust drug levels entering the body, pay bills, etc).
But, the matter at hand is about tablets, and how, they'll stop being tablets when they grow up, which, inevitably they'll have to in order to become productivity devices.
But, be careful with your insults, because, it seems that you're not very comfortable having them directed back at you.

Let me rephrase: All manner of upright bipeds, including us oblivious, idiotic, sysadmins, will almost invariably point out that, right out of the box, the most obvious difference between laptops and tablets are, in fact, keyboards.
'hardware is devolving' - So, you're going to serve up SAAS on what, a tablet cluster? Within the next year?
P.S. Actually, that is the last time. Most every other poster has found a way to relay their personal opinions and observations without having to attempt to diminish others. You, on the other hand, stomped in here with the personal snipes. Since I'm a giver, here's another of the many pearls of wisdom my dear grandmother left me - 'never get in an argument with an idiot because from a distance, it is hard to tell which is which'.

Oblivious, idiotic, sysadmins will almost invariably point out that, right out of the box, the most obvious difference between laptops and tablets are, in fact, keyboards. Most will notice this even before applying power to either.